Sparks Fly
by TheLyricsAreMyStory
Summary: Early Bonfire Night one-shot; Nick and Carla head to the Red Reck for a fireworks display.


**Sparks Fly:**

I link my hand with hers as we leave Victoria Court, the glass door swinging shut behind us. It was a chilly morning, with fog descending gently over the rooftops of the neighbourhood.

"Aidan's got a meeting over lunch." Carla strikes up a conversation. "So perhaps I can come visit the Bistro at lunch."

"Ah good, another distraction." I laugh and she gives me a look.

"You love it when I turn up." She grins. "Your face lights up."

"Don't big your part up." I nudge her gently, as our hands sway in the soft breeze. As we turn the corner into Coronation Street, my eyes fixate on David outside of Audrey's salon, chatting away on his mobile.

"Nick!" David holds his hand up, stopping us in our tracks. "Yeah I've got to go mate, see you then, bye..." He hangs up on the caller and turns to face us.

"Business or pleasure?" I ask as I feel Carla let go of my hand, her arms gliding over my back before wrapping around my neck from behind. She seemed to have a thing about hanging off me when my family were around, as if marking her territory.

"Uh... Don't ask. Someone investigating Callum's disappearance." David rolls his eyes, slipping his mobile into the pocket of his jeans. "Anyway, I was wondering whether you are coming to this fireworks display at the Red Reck tonight. We're going down there with Max and Lily, I'm sure they'd love to see you."

"Uh... Fireworks." Carla mutters from behind me.

"Why don't you like fireworks?" I frown.

"Bad experiences..." She trails off.

"Well it would be wouldn't it?" I sigh and she slaps me lightly round the head.

"Brain injury?" I prompt her and she raises her eyebrows.

"...Right." David suddenly pipes up, looking slightly awkward. "Well we might see you there then."

"Yeah, sorry, see you." I wave him off as he disappears back into the salon. "Come on then." I link my hand back with hers once she's untied herself from me. "What is it with fireworks."

"I don't know." She shrugs. "I just never really got them when I was a kid. Couldn't afford them and all that. All the children at school used to go to this massive fireworks display, it was at this youth club. They used to go with their families but obviously I didn't."

"Why?" I ask sympathetically.

"Well I didn't have a family really... Did I?" She sighs. "And even if I did we wouldn't be able to afford the family ticket... My mam preferred to sit there drinking vodka from the bottle, burning old photos of her exes in the waste bin as her bonfire."

"...Well now I feel bad." I mutter.

"Why?" She forces a laugh.

"For making a joke out of it." I tell her. "I'm sorry I don't think sometimes."

"Brain injury?" She grins.

"Shut up." I nudge her. "Seriously though, we don't have to go tonight. We can stay in, get a take-away. Whatever you want."

"What would I do without you ey?" She smiles, kissing me before letting go of my hand and heading into work.

"Oh yeah, love you too." I laugh and she spins around on the steps, blowing me a kiss.

* * *

I enter the flat thinking that I would be alone for an hour, it was dark now but Carla had a meeting until six thirty. So I'd planned on making some preparations so that the take-away was ordered for when she got in.

Carla, on the other hand, had other ideas.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I greet, closing the door behind me. She was stood in her coat, sorting through a few paper bags on the kitchen counter. "...Shouldn't you be in a meeting?"

"Oh sorry to disappoint." She grins. "I got Aidan to cover. That's his second meeting of the day."

"Right..." I nod slowly. "And you're standing there in your coat because?"

"We're going to see the fireworks." She informs me, moving her eyes from mine to what looked like bags of treacle toffee; stuffing them into her pockets.

"...Uh... No we're not." I frown, a slight smile on my face.

"Uh... Yeah we are." She sasses.

"You don't like fireworks." I remind her.

"I never said I didn't like fireworks." She points out. "Plus you know? It's our first bonfire night together and I know you love them so."

"You don't have to do this for me." I sigh and she bites her lip.

"Who said I was?" She smiles, moving closer to me and placing a light kiss on my lips. "You're paying the entrance fee."

* * *

She links her hand with mine as we approach the Red Reck. The faint screams of children, excitedly preparing for the showdown could be heard.

"Ah..." Carla stops in her tracks when she notices the bonfire. At first I wonder why and then it clicks.

"We can go home if you want?" I let go of her hand to put my arm around her securely.

"No." She objects. "Let's just stay away from the fire yeah?"

"Turn right and you will reach your destination." I steer her off in a different direction and she giggles slightly before I return to a more serious tone. "Sweetheart, it's ok I promise."

"What is?" She frowns at my sudden change of heart.

"I saw your panic then." I sigh as she moves her head to look backwards at the bonfire. "You don't need to worry."

"Yeah well let's just enjoy tonight." She diverts the subject. "You and me and apparently... The Platt's."

"Hi." I greet as Lily runs up to me, glow stick in her hand. Max was busy twirling a sparkler in the air to notice our appearance.

"So you did come after all?" David greets us.

"Wasn't my idea." I shrug, nudging Carla slightly.

"Well, it's nice to see you." Kylie smiles appreciatively before turning to look at her son and darting off. "Max! No, what did I say about sparklers and trees?"

"Oh, ey up." I point to where a red spark has flown into the air. Lily begins to scream excitedly and David puts her on his shoulders so she can see better, walking off.

"Ok well they are quite beautiful." Carla admires, resting her head in my chest and wrapping my arm back around herself.

"Mm..." I whisper. "So is somebody else."

"Oh yeah, do I know them?" She raises her eyebrows.

"Nah." I laugh. "Ex girlfriend, sorry."

"Nick!" She slaps me lightly.

"Joking." I roll my eyes. "You're beautiful."

"Well thank you Nicholas, you earned yourself some toffee." She grins, stuffing a piece in my mouth and I have a hard time chewing it as it is so stiff.

"It's very solid..." I gag, my mouth still full. "Did you make it?"

"You're so rude." She shakes her head disapprovingly at me before clapping a hand over my mouth. "Now shut up and watch the fireworks."

I move so I am behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and placing kisses occasionally into her hair. They were magical; an array of blues and greens and reds, sparks descending the dark sky until they were nothing but smoke.

"You're such a kid really." I laugh when they have ended and she claps enthusiastically.

"Ah, you didn't know me when I was a kid." She reminds me, turning to wrap her arms around my neck.

"Babe, your hands are freezing." I shiver slightly at her touch, taking them in mine to warm them up. She looks into my eyes before kissing me, a long and passionate kiss which sends more shivers down my spine.

"I know what'd warm me up." She whispers into me and my eyes dart around the families nearby.

"Oh yeah?" I bite my lip slightly. "What?"

"Your jacket." She anti-climaxes and I laugh at her, removing it to wrap around her shoulders.

"But now I'm cold so can we head home?" I ask and she grabs my hand, swinging it gently as she leads me towards the park gates.

"I was hoping you'd say that sometime soon." She whispers in my ear. "Now it's time for the real fireworks."


End file.
